Anxiety - I've Never Told Anyone - Now I'm Telling The World!

[Fear-Not]

It has taken me forty years to realise that I have a major anxiety problem. My early memories are about fretting, despite having a perfectly happy childhood! I thought it was normal to foresee catastrophe at every turn and to start most days full of terror. I used to laugh about it - and I still do, because humour is the only thing that saves me - but it doesn't mean I don't feel it deeply or take it seriously.

Two new developments for me - I have started taking Sertraline to see it if helps (have never tried medication before) and I have started a blog - my first post was on 22nd December on the day I finally went to the doctor to seek help and to start on anti depressants. I would not wish anxiety on anyone - as I'm sure none of us would - but it helps to know that we are not alone and that there are places we can air and share!

If anyone is interested, my blog is at http://www.worriedsick.co.uk

Wishing everyone CALM, peaceful thoughts!

[venusbluejeans]

Hiya Fear-Not and welcome to NMP :welcome:

Why not take a look at our articles on our home page, they contain a wealth of information and are a great starting place for your time on the forum.

I hope you find the as site helpful and informative as I have and that you get the help and support you need here and hope that you meet a few friends along the way :yesyes:

[Citydeer]

Welcome :-) it's never too late to address anxiety, good on you for taking the steps you have! I too have just started sertaline. Good luck with your journey.

[Fear-Not]

Thanks Citydeer and the same luck to you! Might manage a calm thought before I retire! :D - be interested to know how you find the Sertraline? I honestly thought it was working after the first few weeks but it wore off about a fortnight ago and I'm back to beating off demons with my pillow every morning! :scared10:

[MooCow]

Hi and welcome to the forums. I'm new myself and really like it here. It also took me most my life to realise I had some sort of recognised anxiety problem. I started on Sertraline a few weeks ago and can't really say it's helped me much, but it's hard to tell. It's certainly made me feel very nauseas a few times! :)

[Fear-Not]

Hi MooCow - yes I found it took my appetite away completely for about a week - but that co-incided with Christmas and, for the first year in living memory, I probably dropped a few pounds over the festive season!:yesyes: I thought it was working at first but I'm into tenth week now and its pretty much back to square one! Don't know whether to try something else or up the dose or just come off altogether! I hope it starts working better for you!! :D xx

[Catherine S]

Hi there, good to meet you. I can't offer any advice regards anti-Ds as I've never been given them, but I have taken Benzos in the past and I take beta blockers now as well as the possibility of having to start taking meds for raised Bp. However I can relate to lifelong anxiety, especially the part about childhood...my old mum used to call me 'highly strung' which I take to mean I was a nervous child!

I hope you find that the forum brings you some relief. After all, a problem shared..by 2000 people..is a problem much more than halved :D

ISB x

[Fear-Not]

Hi ISB! Yes it is sometimes a relief to just accept that some of us just have a predisposition for anxiety and that there is no need to spend energy seeking a reason for it! Better to focus on trying to stay one step ahead of it! My Mum, and everyone else have been really surprised to realise that I have anxiety to this extent as I always did such a good job of hiding it! I always took 'Highly Strung' to mean 'Very Intelligent' as well :D xx

[Catherine S]

:yesyes: Couldn't agree more lol!

[beatroon]

Thanks for the blog - really looking forward to reading your thoughts! x

[MooCow]

Hi MooCow - yes I found it took my appetite away completely for about a week - but that co-incided with Christmas and, for the first year in living memory, I probably dropped a few pounds over the festive season!:yesyes: I thought it was working at first but I'm into tenth week now and its pretty much back to square one! Don't know whether to try something else or up the dose or just come off altogether! I hope it starts working better for you!! :D xx

Apparently it's supposed to take several weeks to have an effect, but I'd have thought after this long you'd know if there's a benefit. I'm only on 50mg at the moment. I honestly don't know how to tell if they're helping me or not though, as I only get anxious if something causes it, and different things naturally cause it to different degrees anyway.

I find that not eating doesn't change how sick I feel - Neither does eating! :) I don't feel sick much now, just a little sometimes, but it was quite bad in the first 2 weeks.

Thanks, I hope things improve for you too. :) :hugs:

[Fear-Not]

Thanks Beatroon - I hope that people won't be offended at me taking the mickey out of anxiety as I end up doing that a lot in my blog! It's the only way I can keep any form of sanity going - sometimes I look at all the things I am worrying about and I just think WHYYYYYYYYYY! xx

[Panicer]

Hi Fear-Not

That's a brilliant idea! I've been using a page on this site to record my journey but I love the idea of a blog. Off to check it out now :winks:

[Fear-Not]

Aw thanks for having a wee look Panicer! It's gloomy enough having anxiety so I try and make the blog funny! xx